44220 results about "Road surface" patented technology

A system and method are described for powering a vehicle using radio frequency (“RF”) signals. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: positioning an antenna array beneath or on the road surface of a roadway, the antenna array configured to transmit RF signals responsive to RF processing logic and/or circuitry; coupling a rectenna array to a vehicle, the rectenna array configured to receive the RF signals transmitted from the antenna array and to generate power from the RF signals; providing feedback signals from the vehicle to the RF processing logic and/or circuitry, the feedback signals including channel state information (CSI) defining a current state of the channels between the antenna array and the rectenna array, the RF processing logic and/or circuitry using the channel state information to adjust the RF signal transmissions from the antenna array to improve the efficiency of the power generated by the rectenna array; and using the power generated by the rectenna array to power the vehicle.

An apparatus and method to locate and mark the surface position of an underground utility while maneuvering along the path of the utility. The apparatus uses an underground utility detector that responds to the location of an underground utility to continually position a carriage proximate vertical of the utility. Marker systems are aligned with the carriage and apply either a unique paint symbol on pavement or a spike in the ground. The apparatus is configured to use an underground utility detector or positioning equipment that generate positional signals. The apparatus may be configured to mark utility positions at predetermined intervals and mark utility offset positions. The apparatus may be attached to a vehicle, towed by a vehicle, motorized or propelled by a person.

Spatially Integrated Small-Format Aerial Photography (SFAP) is one aspect of the present invention. It is a low-cost solution for bridge surface imaging and is proposed as a remote bridge inspection technique to supplement current bridge visual inspection. Providing top-down views, the airplanes flying at about 1000 feet can allow visualization of sub-inch (large) cracks and joint openings on bridge decks or highway pavements. On board Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to help geo-reference images collected and facilitate damage detection. Image analysis is performed to identify structural defects such as cracking. A deck condition rating technique based on large crack detection is used to quantify the condition of the existing bridge decks.

Improved methods of controlling the stability of a vehicle are provided via the cooperative operation of vehicle stability control systems such as an Active Yaw Control system, Antilock Braking System, and Traction Control System. These methods use recognition of road surface information including the road friction coefficient (mu), wheel slippage, and yaw deviations. The methods then modify the settings of the active damping system and/or the distribution of drive torque, as necessary, to increase/reduce damping in the suspension and shift torque application at the wheels, thus preventing a significant shift of load in the vehicle and/or improving vehicle drivability and comfort. The adjustments of the active damping system or torque distribution temporarily override any characteristics that were pre-selected by the driver.

A system mounted on a vehicle for performing vehicle control applications and driver warning applications, the system including a camera configured to acquire a plurality of images of the environment in front of the camera. The camera includes a filter wherein the filter is installed at the focal plane of the camera and wherein designated portions of the filter transmit selective light wavelength. The preferred filter has a checkerboard pattern. The system further including an image processor capable of analyzing in real time a plurality of respective image sequences acquired from at least one of the portions of the filter and is capable of detecting yellow lane markings on a concrete road surface.

The invention provides an unmanned vehicle navigation driving method based on a cloud server. A device according to the method comprises three modules, namely the cloud database, an on-vehicle terminal and a ground GPS base station. In the unmanned vehicle, a destination is input through the on-vehicle terminal of the vehicle. Furthermore the destination information, position information and vehicle condition information of the vehicle are transmitted to the cloud database. The cloud database integrates all related information for performing calculation planning, and transmits an optimal driving plan to a vehicle system for execution by a vehicle control system. Furthermore, surrounding environment information is acquired in real time in vehicle driving and is uploaded to the cloud database, thereby realizing real-time synchronous updating of the cloud database and ensuring high reliability and high real-time performance of cloud data. The unmanned vehicle navigation driving method can supply detailed map information for the vehicle on special conditions of rainy or snowy weather, insufficient light at night, covered road surface or covered sign plate, etc.

A linear light system, and a linear luminaire used in the system, for lighting a traffic surface. The linear luminaire has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in a linear matrix along the length of the traffic surface, and a plurality of refractive lenses for directing the emitted light from the LEDs at the traffic surface. The traffic surface is typically the roadway of a tunnel. A refractor lens is used to direct the emitted light from the LEDs predominantly toward at least the traffic surface.

A vehicle mode controller, a driving mode collecting means, and a plurality of subsystem controllers including an engine management system, a transmission controller, a steering controller, a brakes controller and a suspension controller, provide an improved system and method of operating a vehicle control system in a host vehicle in a manner suitable for a respective driving surface in a plurality of different off-road surfaces and terrains such as might be encountered when driving off-road. An improved method is provided for controlling a vehicle control system by avoiding unplanned combinations of subsystem configuration modes and minimizing the transition time when changing between subsystem configuration modes.

A synthesized image showing the situation around a vehicle is produced from images taken with cameras capturing the surroundings of the vehicle and presented to a display. A position computation section computes position information and the reliability of the position information, for a plurality of points in the camera images. An image variable-synthesis section produces a first synthesized image from the camera images using the position information. An image fixed-synthesis section produces a second synthesized image by road surface projection, for example, without use of the position information. A synthesis scheme selection section selects either one of the first and second synthesized images according to the reliability as the synthesized image to be presented.

Methods and applications of surface plasmon resonance-enhanced antibacterial, anti-adhere, adhere, catalytic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, spectral change, biological and chemical decomposition properties of materials with embedded nanoparticles are disclosed. A method of the nonlinear generation of surface plasmon resonance enables the use of light with wavelengths from X-Ray to IR to enhance properties of materials by several orders of magnitude. The nanoparticle size is crucial for the enhancement and their size is considered to be in the proposed methods and applications within a range of 0.1 nm to 200,000 nm. The nanoparticles preferably are made of noble metals and/or semiconductor oxides. The invention describes a very broad spectrum of applications of surface plasmon resonance-enhanced properties of materials with embedded nanoparticles, from environmental cleanup by road pavement and construction materials, self-cleaning processes of surface materials, thermochromic effects on heat blocking materials, corrosion preventing paint, to sanitization by antibacterial textile fabrics, filters, personal clothing, contact lenses and medical devices.

A road line recognition apparatus, including: an imaging section imaging a progress path of a own vehicle including a road to output a couple of images; an image processing section calculating a distance in a real space in a set region of at least an image on one side based on the imaged couple of images; and a detection section detecting a road line; wherein the detection section includes: a road line candidate point detection and conversion processing unit detecting a pixel on a road surface as a road line candidate point based on luminance and the distance with regard to the image on one side, and performing Hough conversion of the road line candidate point; a road line straight line detection processing unit detecting one straight line proper to the road line on each of a right side and a left side of the own vehicle based on at least a position or a behavior of the own vehicle between straight lines obtained by the Hough conversion; and a road line detection processing unit detecting the road line of a shape of a straight line or a curved line by recording a road line position which is a road line candidate point indicating a road line among the road line candidate points based on the detected straight line.

The invention discloses a road dust suppressant, which is prepared by mixing and blending 0.1-2.0% of water-soluble high molecular polymer, 20-50% of moisture absorption humectant, 1.0-5.0% of preservative, 0.5-5.0% of penetrating agent and the balance water. The road dust suppressant is a dynamic dust-proof and dust-suppressing liquid product which combines functions of wetting, bonding, permeating, adsorbing moisture and the like into a whole and has extremely strong pressurization-resistant function. The road dust suppressant has the advantages of obvious anti-evaporation performance and good water retention hygroscopicity, and dust on the road surface can be coagulated and is unlikely to fly. The road dust suppressant disclosed by the invention not only can be applied to road dust suppressing but also can be simultaneously used for the aspects, such as the mine exploration and transportation environment, storage yards of coal ash, coal and other ores, and the treatments of municipal construction earthwork dust raise.

A system for acquiring, processing, storing, analyzing and reporting data relating to the condition of a road or other pavement surface (102) in real time. The system includes a digital camera (104) mounted on a vehicle and positioned relative to a pavement surface (102) so as to capture images of the pavement surface (102) while the camera (104) is moving relative to the surface (102). The system also includes an illumination assembly (100) to illuminate the region from which an image is taken and an interface between the digital camera (104) and at least one computer. The system also includes a processor in the computer for processing the images to detect and classify cracks and other pavement surface (102) features.

The frequency of an information signal indicative of the vibration of a wheel detected by an acceleration sensor 11 mounted to a wheel 1 or the frequency of an information signal indicative of a change in the pressure of a gas in a tire detected by a pressure sensor 31 installed in the tire is analyzed by frequency analyzing means 14 (34), the band value of the obtained vibration spectrum or pressure change spectrum is detected, and a vibration level or pressure change level at the detected frequency band is compared with a vibration level table 15T showing the relationship between road friction coefficient μ and vibration level stored in vibration level storage means 15, or a pressure change level table 35T showing the relationship between road friction coefficient μ and pressure change level stored in pressure change level storage means 35 to estimate a road friction coefficient μ. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the value of road friction coefficient μ accurately and improve the safety of a car.

Systems and methods are provided for crowdsourcing road surface information collection. In one implementation, a method of collecting road surface information for a road segment may include receiving at least one image representative of a portion of the road segment, identifying in the at least one image at least one road surface feature along the portion of the road segment, determining a plurality of locations associated with the road surface feature according to a local coordinate system of the vehicle, and transmitting the determined plurality of locations from the vehicle to a server. The determined locations may be configured to enable determination by the server of a line representation of the road surface feature extending along the road segment.

An automotive lane deviation prevention (LDP) apparatus includes a control unit detecting whether a host vehicle is in a specific state where the host vehicle is traveling on road-surface irregularities formed on or close to a lane marking line. The control unit actively decelerates the host vehicle when the host vehicle is in the specific state where the host vehicle is traveling on the road-surface irregularities.